


looks like i’m stuck with you

by heynineteen



Category: GOT7
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Pining, jackson loves to talk lol, jinson, jinson soft hours, jinyoung the model student
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 12:41:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28956624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heynineteen/pseuds/heynineteen
Summary: Jinyoung cursed inwardly for the hundredth time that day. If he hadn’t overslept, everything would have gone much more smoothly, and he wouldn’t be here, stuck next to the good-looking guy who couldn’t keep his mouth shut.
Relationships: Park Jinyoung/Jackson Wang
Comments: 20
Kudos: 63





	looks like i’m stuck with you

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I’m back with another Jinson fic hehe.
> 
> Just wanted to take the time to thank Miah for going over this. Thank you for offering to read through my work and for helping me refine this; your suggestions made this turn out a whole lot better, and I learned so much from your comments. <33
> 
> Anyway, that’s all haha just wanted to say again that this is a work of fiction, and I don’t own any of the characters mentioned here in the story. The people they are in this fic aren’t the people they are in real life, and though their dynamic/friendship is one of the cutest things in the world, they’re more than their ships.. I hope I’m making sense T__T
> 
> Anyway, that’s enough rambling for me. More ramblings in the author’s note at the end haha. Hope you all enjoy the fic! <33

It was a beautiful morning. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and the bright sun bathed the hallway in gold. There was a slight chill in the air – just enough for it to feel refreshing – thanks to the windows left ajar, and one could faintly hear the sound of birds chirping in the distance. There was a slight buzz in the air, thanks to the people milling about, and you could feel the thrum of excitement among university students finally meeting each other again after a long break.

All in all, it was a very pleasant morning, and even though the day signaled the start of another semester. The thrill of reconnecting with friends overshadowed the thought of any upcoming school work, and everyone was in a fairly good mood.

Well, everyone except Jinyoung.

Lips pressed in a thin line, he made his way through the crowd, avoiding a group of students who’d deemed the middle of the hallway the best place to catch up. He bit back a snide remark as he almost collided with someone from the said group, who’d taken a step back as he and the rest of the group burst into laughter.  _ Why couldn’t they have gathered somewhere else? _ Jinyoung sighed internally _. And why did everyone else seem to have the same brilliant idea of gathering in the hallway? _ What was once just a fifteen second dash had turned into a full minute of maneuvering against people.

He looked at his watch.  _ Shit – just two minutes before his Asian history class started _ . Jinyoung walked faster, ignoring the burn in his calves and the drop of sweat trickled down the side of his face. It was the first day of classes, and he did not want to make a bad impression by being late.

Jinyoung was panting heavily by the time he’d reached the classroom doors, but he’d made it in time. He went in through the back door – he didn’t think he could handle everyone’s eyes on him if he’d entered using the main entrance – and scanned the room for any empty seats. Just his fucking luck – the class was a big one, and almost every seat was full. The only seat available was the one on the right edge near the back of the room.

He made his way down to the seat and berated himself for waking up late that day. He always woke up before his alarm, and it was just his luck that the rare day that he’d accidentally overslept was the first day of class: the day where people unofficially chose their seats – one they’d be stuck with for the rest of the semester.

Jinyoung plopped down in his seat. He felt around for his handkerchief in his pocket, and proceeded to dab at his slightly damp forehead. All that brisk walking had been tiring, and Jinyoung felt like he didn’t even need to work out later during the day – all that rushing had been enough exercise. He’d barely had time to catch his breath before he felt a tap on his shoulder. 

He turned to the side, slightly annoyed by the intrusion, but managing to keep his expression neutral. He was greeted with the sight of an attractive guy with a bright smile on his face. His hair was the darkest shade of brown and was parted a bit to the side, with a few perfectly curled strands resting on his forehead; his dark eyes twinkled with mirth. The white long sleeved polo he wore was a bit too dressy for class, but it beautifully matched his lightly tanned skin and hinted at the muscles underneath. It looked as if he’d been sculpted by the gods themselves considering how unfairly good-looking he was, and Jinyoung felt his cheeks heating up in his presence.

“Hi,” the modern day reincarnation of Adonis beamed at him. “I’m Jackson, what’s your name?”

“Jinyoung,” he replied, lips quirked up into a small smile despite himself.

“Jinyoung,” Jackson repeated. Jinyoung tilted his head to the side at the slight accent when his seatmate repeated his name. It wasn’t that noticeable, but Jinyoung had always been more observant than the average person, and he could tell that the man beside him probably grew up somewhere else.

He was about to ask where Jackson was from, but his words were cut short as the professor walked into the classroom, briefcase in hand. Instead, he turned his attention to his seatmate once more and gave him a small smile, which he returned tenfold.

Maybe things were finally starting to look up.

* * *

No, they weren’t.

Jinyoung cursed inwardly for the hundredth time that day. Only half an hour of class had passed with less than five minutes to go, but he already couldn’t wait for the day to be over - even if it was just the first day of the semester and all they did in classes was to discuss their syllabus and introduce themselves.

Beside him, Jackson continued to fidget, like he’d been doing since the class started. At first, it was his pen lightly tapping on the desk. Then, it was the clicking of said pen as people were introducing themselves. Now, it was the jiggle of his legs as the professor was wrapping up the meeting. 

And it wasn’t just that. Jackson also happened to be  _ very  _ talkative, never without an opinion on anything, and it just so happened that he’d chosen Jinyoung to be the person who’d receive all these comments. When a classmate had stood up to introduce herself, Jackson had muttered appreciatively at the tattoo that covered her entire left arm. When a classmate had admitted that he didn’t really like dogs, Jackson had whispered in faux outrage “Who the fuck doesn’t like dogs?”, glancing at Jinyoung for his reply.

Annoyed as Jinyoung was at how noisy his seatmate was and how he couldn’t seem to sit still, he still knew his manners. He acknowledged Jackson’s comments with a nod or a small smile, and he let out a chuckle or two for some variety. Deep inside, however, he was growing more annoyed by the minute, and couldn’t wait to go home and rest after the day he’d had.

The professor must have heard his silent pleas, because he’d just dismissed the class. Everyone got up, rummaging around for their stuff, excited to use the extra time from their class’s early dismissal to meet up with friends they haven’t seen. Jinyoung, however, just closed his eyes and sighed in relief.  _ Finally, the day was coming to an end. _

Jackson’s husky voice breaks him out of his reverie. “So, Jinyoung, wanna grab something to eat?”

He opened his eyes to see Jackson hovering over him, bag slung over a shoulder. He beamed at Jinyoung, waiting expectantly for an answer.

Jinyoung mustered an apologetic smile. He wanted nothing more than to go home and rest after the day he’d had, and going out to eat with the talkative seatmate who’d annoyed him with his fidgeting and stream of comments sounded like the furthest thing from rest. “I’m sorry, I’ve got to rush.” He bit back an insincere “Next time, maybe?” that threatened to make its way out his mouth out of politeness.

Jinyoung then gathered his things, missing the slightly crestfallen look on Jackson’s face. “Oh, I see,” Jinyoung heard, and when he looked up it was to see Jackson smiling at him once more. “Well, it was nice to meet you Jinyoung. I’m looking forward to the rest of the semester!”

Jinyoung managed a wave as Jackson made his way out of the room. He then stood up and followed suit, trudging all the way back to his apartment. It was just within the vicinity, and within 15 minutes he was already back in his quarters. He ungraciously plopped down on the couch, setting several alarms to wake him up within the next hour, just in time to grab some lunch with Jaebeom before their respective classes in the afternoon.

He sent Jaebeom a quick text, saying he’d gone home first to get some rest. And Jinyoung, tired from his impromptu exercise this morning, worn out from all the stress earlier of trying to make it to class in time, and exhausted from his seatmate’s antics, was out like a light as soon as his head hit the pillow.

* * *

The next meeting, there was a collective gasp as the professor announced a surprise test. Jackson’s was one of the loudest. 

“What the fuck?” Jackson whispered in disbelief. “Who gives a test on the second meeting?” he turned to Jinyoung, brows furrowed in annoyance. Jinyoung was saved from having to respond by the professor’s voice cutting through the noise.

“There’s no need to work yourselves up. It’s just a diagnostic test,” the professor clarified. There was now a collective sigh of relief. “I just wanted to see how much you already know, and if there are any gaps we need to fill before we delve into the finer details of Asian history.”

Jinyoung watched from the corner of his eye as Jackson visibly relaxed. He then turned towards Jinyoung and chuckled. “Man, I thought for a second there I’d have to break the news to my mom that I’d failed another test even though the sem’s just barely started.”

Jinyoung chuckled politely, which seemed to satisfy his seatmate, who then turned around again to face the professor once more. Jinyoung held back a sigh - his seatmate wasn’t just talkative and fidgety. He happened to be a slacker as well.

Jinyoung bit his lip and scolded himself. Maybe he was jumping to conclusions too quickly, having had a not so good impression of Jackson the previous meeting. And who said that Jackson was serious about his earlier remark? For all Jinyoung knew, he could’ve been trying to get a reaction out of him, which seemed likely, given his seatmate’s friendly personality. And anyways, his fidgeting had lessened a lot that day - maybe he’d been more nervous than usual since it had been the first day of classes.

Armed with a new resolution to be a bit more understanding, Jinyoung sat up straighter and flashed Jackson a genuine smile as he passed him the exam papers. 

The next few meetings, however, do little to change Jinyoung’s impression of Jackson. He rarely took notes during class, instead choosing to do pen tricks or snack on the protein bars and nuts he always had a stash of. He also often resorted to asking Jinyoung for spare paper when they needed it, which annoyed Jinyoung to no end. If he could spend so much on the snacks he munches on during class, then he could probably spare some change to buy a few sheets of paper instead of leeching off of him.

Granted, Jinyoung knew that he wasn’t an average student. He tended to go the extra mile in his academics, so it might have been a bit unfair to compare Jackson’s efforts to his.

And Jinyoung had to admit begrudgingly - it wasn’t as if Jackson was failing the course terribly. If his side comments during class were anything to go by, Jinyoung would even say that Jackson had a deep understanding of history and its events. He would often reference a wide assortment of movies and series, juxtaposing it with whatever they were discussing for the day. On several occasions, he’d bring up similar events in the past - events that even Jinyoung hadn’t read much about - and would often jokingly gripe about how history was basically man making the same mistakes over and over in different parts of the world and at different times.

Sometimes, Jinyoung even found himself cracking a genuine smile at Jackson’s commentary, sometimes going as far as to chuckle at a particularly snarky remark, usually at one of their classmates’ expense. Jackson always made his opinion known on matters, and some of the people in his class say the weirdest things - who the fuck admired a dictator for his determination? - and this made for an entertaining combination. Jinyoung privately agreed with most of Jackson’s sentiments but never really voiced them, and so it was refreshing to have Jackson voice out whatever he was thinking.

But no matter how entertaining Jackson was, the fact remained that he was quite irresponsible and didn’t seem to take things seriously - and that was enough to make Jinyoung keep his distance.

* * *

Jinyoung entered the classroom for the first time that week. He hadn’t attended the previous meeting since he’d been stuck in bed, vomiting the remains of the previous night’s dinner, unable to muster up the energy to go to class. It hadn’t been pleasant, and Jinyoung was glad that it took him only a few days to recover from that ordeal. He’d also sworn to always check the best before date inked on the packaging.

The classroom was a bit barren than usual. Jinyoung looked at his watch - he was earlier than normal, which was probably because Jaebum had missed their usual brunch that day, leaving Jinyoung to eat on his own. Without anyone to talk to, he’d finished eating than expected. 

He headed towards his seat. Jackson was already there and his face lit up upon seeing Jinyoung. Jinyoung gave him a small smile as he sat down, ready to ask Jackson what he’d missed the previous meeting, but Jackson had already started talking.

“Jinyoungie!” Jinyoung internally winced at the nickname Jackson had given him. It had started when Jinyoung, on what was a rare occasion, brought a snack to class. The snack happened to be one of Jackson’s favorites, and though Jinyoung had already given Jackson some of it, he continued to ask for more. Jackson had kept batting his eyelashes at Jinyoung and smiling cutely in order to get Jinyoung to give him some. The final straw for Jinyoung was when Jackson had, in a whisper, whined a “Jinyoungie-” and he all but shoved the bag of chips into Jackson’s hands, who’d grinned triumphantly.

“Why weren’t you here last meeting?” Jackson pouted. “I was so bored - there was no one to talk to.” Jackson then lowered his voice and whispered excitedly. “It was a shame you weren’t here! Two of our classmates got into a heated debate - it was pretty entertaining.” 

Jinyoung was about to ask what else he’d missed when Jackson suddenly bent down to rummage through his bag. He then pulled out several sheets of paper, stapled together, and placed it on Jinyoung’s desk. “Here, those are notes on what we discussed last meeting. I also included at the end several of Sir’s reminders - he said that the exam was coming up soon, so we have to start preparing for it now.”

Jinyoung watched as Jackson stretched his arms, at a loss for words. He scanned the papers Jackson had handed over to him, when something caught his eye. “Hey, what’s this on the post-it?”

Jackson leaned in a little to look at what Jinyoung was talking about. “Oh that,” he chuckled. “I recorded the entire session, so you can go to that link if you ever want to listen to it.”

Jinyoung must have looked a little dumbfounded, because Jackson rushed to explain himself. “I asked permission from the professor, and he said it was okay! I told him that I like to listen to lectures again since it,” he waved a hand around his head, “helps me digest stuff better.” Jackson shrugged and grinned. “I listen to them while I run - I not only get to workout,” Jackson ticked off an imaginary list with his finger. “But I also get to study. Besides, reading’s never really worked out well for me.”

_ Oh.  _ Jinyoung thought, a sliver of guilt taking root in his heart. He had assumed Jackson was a slacker due to his lack of notes. It hadn’t crossed his mind that maybe, he’d had other, better ways of studying the material.

Jinyoung turned his attention to the paper in his hands, ignoring the steadily building wave of shame rising in him. He skimmed through the papers - all four sheets of it - filled with neatly printed notes and some of Jackson’s messy handwriting in the margins, his usual side comments during class making its way onto paper. 

Jinyoung stared at the papers in his hands and thought back to what Jackson said. Reading wasn’t his style, yet here Jinyoung was, with notes typed and written out by Jackson himself. In the midst of his embarrassment, he felt a rush of warmth bloom in his chest. Jackson hadn’t needed to do this - didn’t need to type all this out - especially since it wasn’t something that worked for him; but he’d done it for Jinyoung, and he’d done it without Jinyoung even asking him to. Jinyoung was touched at the gesture.

He smiled, the biggest one he’d ever directed towards Jackson. Jinyoung noticed, however, that Jackson looked a tad hesitant and unsure - an uncommon sight for the friendly man. Jackson then started rambling, saying that Jinyoung didn’t have to use it, sorry for overstepping, he just noticed that Jinyoung always took notes during class and maybe he’d want to fully know all that he’d missed - and the warmth in Jinyoung’s chest spread further, seeping into all the cracks and crevices of his body, warming him up from the inside.

“Thanks, Jackson.” Jinyoung grinned, lightly socking Jackson in the arm to stop any further rambling. “I appreciate it.” Jinyoung watched as a smile spread across Jackson’s face, one so gentle and soft around the edges, before it morphed into the grin Jinyoung had come to associate with his lively seatmate.

Jackson made a shooing motion with his hand. “Ah, Jinyoungie, don’t mention it!” Jinyoung looked on in amusement as Jackson crossed his legs and placed his chin in his hand, looking deep in thought. “But I guess if you’d treat me to some meat, I wouldn’t refuse at all,” he joked.

Jinyoung barked out a laugh. He was stopped from making any more remarks, though, by their professor’s entrance in the room. The earlier buzz and chatter of the class disappeared, all going quiet in the presence of the professor.

All except for Jackson, who leaned towards Jinyoung and whispered about how the professor’s new hairstyle today strangely resembled Johnny Bravo’s.

Jinyoung barely suppressed his laughter.

* * *

Jinyoung warmed up more to Jackson after that. 

They weren’t really friends yet. Friends were people you opened up to, people that you met beyond a certain activity or setting, people with whom you discussed a wide range of topics with. 

He and Jackson never met outside of the four walls of the room. Their conversations all revolved around school, and their daily interactions consisted of Jackson whispering side comments to Jinyoung, and Jinyoung either 1) holding in a laugh or 2) responding to Jackson’s remarks, usually in the form of a sarcastic quip that would leave his seatmate smiling. 

And they had yet to talk about more personal stuff. But though Jackson was considered a close acquaintance, they were quickly moving into the friends territory. They were delving into more personal topics, the spare five minutes of waiting for their professor being used to learn more about each other.

Jinyoung learned that Jackson was a sports science major and was part of the university’s fencing team, and that he’d been a fencing champion back in Hong Kong. He’d learned that Jackson had moved to Korea because of his initial dreams of joining the entertainment industry, but had quickly changed his mind upon getting a glimpse of the harsh reality those in the industry lived with. Jinyoung also found out that Jackson had a penchant for languages, being fluent in five languages.

In turn, Jinyoung talked about himself as well - something that didn’t come to him that easily, especially when it came to more personal topics. He’d talked about why he majored in literature (he loved to read and analyse works), his dream (to write children’s books), and his hobbies (movies and playing the piano). He’d also mentioned trying to work on his English by reading books, to which Jackson had offered himself as someone Jinyoung could practice his English with.

They were getting along swimmingly, and Jinyoung could tell that it was only a matter of time before they reached a point where they could call each other a friend.

Assuming he survived the week, however.

It was currently midterms season, and Jinyoung was exhausted. He’d been running low on sleep the past two weeks, having spent most of his nights working on papers and studying for exams. He’d done so much reading, sometimes even resorting to bringing his readings with him in the toilet or as he worked out, and he was sure that if he read another essay this week, the words would start to blur together. Though he hadn’t crammed and had actually gotten an early start in studying, he had only one pair of eyes and could only read so fast. 

But thankfully, all that stress was finally over - at least for the time being, until the next set of exams rolled around the corner - and the adrenaline rush Jinyoung had at the start of the midterms season had fallen drastically by the time he made his way to the seat next to Jackson. This was his last class for the week since the professor in his afternoon class had decided to give them the week off. Jinyoung could see the light at the end of the tunnel; he could finally get some much needed rest - he just had to hold on for three more hours.

Class started just as Jinyoung gave Jackson a weary smile and a half-hearted wave. Jinyoung tried his best to listen, but he was just so drained from all the stress and the sleepless nights, that he found himself drifting off periodically. He tried to keep himself awake by pinching his arm, patting his face, looking around the classroom. His efforts were futile, however, and his eyelids still felt as heavy, as if gravity or some other force by the name of exhaustion was determined to bring them down.

Jinyoung stared absently at the seat in front of him, eyes closing in surrender, when a light thump on his desk startled him momentarily. A protein bar had made its way on his desk, the kind Jackson loved to munch on during class. He stared at the snack on his desk and looked up blearily to see Jackson gesturing towards the offer. He didn’t utter a word, but Jinyoung understood what he was saying.  _ Come on, have it, you look like you need it. _

Jinyoung smiled weakly at Jackson and thanked him, too tired to refuse. He tore off the wrapper silently, not wanting to call any attention to himself, and took a bite.  _ Yum, chocolate-flavored.  _ He chewed, relishing the mix of nuts and dates and chocolate. By the time Jinyoung’s finished half of the bar, he feels much better than when class first started. 

He turned to face Jackson but was greeted by the sight of him yawning and rubbing his eyes tiredly, Jinyoung’s movements going unnoticed. Now that Jinyoung was more alert, he noticed the dark circles underneath Jackson’s eyes and his slightly pallid appearance - Jackson looked worn out, and though he was still as good-looking as ever, his fatigue was clearly evident.

Jinyoung was moved by Jackson’s gesture. He’d offered his snack to Jinyoung even though he was in need of it as well, and Jinyoung felt warm at the thought of Jackson caring about him enough to pick up on Jinyoung’s exhaustion despite his own tiredness. With that, Jinyoung held out the half-eaten bar to Jackson, waiting to catch his attention.

Jinyoung was faced with Jackson’s confused expression, so he placed the half-eaten protein bar on Jackson’s desk. “Let’s share,” he said in a low voice. “You look like you need it too.” Jinyoung saw Jackson about to protest. Jinyoung refused to listen and instead stared resolutely at the whiteboard, unwilling to take no for an answer.

Jackson hissed. “No, Jinyoung, this is yours!” to no avail, since Jinyoung refused to give any indication of having heard Jackson. Jackson continued to call out Jinyoung’s name in low tones but eventually gave up at Jinyoung’s stubborn lack of response. Jinyoung watched as Jackson gave in and finally took a bite of the protein bar, and they shot each other grateful smiles.  _ Thank you. _

* * *

As the semester progressed, so did Jinyoung and Jackson’s initially tentative acquaintanceship. So much that by the time the semester neared its end, Jinyoung could safely say that he and Jackson were friends.

They’d added each other on social media, and Jackson had coerced Jinyoung into making a Twitter account so they could follow each other there. Jinyoung still chuckled at the memory of Jackson aggressively pointing to Jinyoung, listing the benefits of having a Twitter account, the top reason being that it was another way they could stay connected. They talked online, though not as often since Jinyoung wasn’t a fan of online interactions, and Jackson always seemed to be out and about.

They did, however, talk a lot in person. Jinyoung had even cancelled his Friday brunches with Jaebeom for the rest of the semester so that he could go to class early and spend some time with Jackson. Their weekly pre-class discussions soon morphed into brunch friend dates, after Jackson had asked Jinyoung to go grab a bite with him before heading to class since he’d been craving pizza that entire week. Now, they went out for brunch every week before class started, taking turns deciding where to eat.

One of their most memorable meals together had been at a small, dingy yet brightly-lit Chinese restaurant in one of the alleys just behind the university. It was tiny - barely enough room for ten people - and it was hot inside due to all the steam. But the noodles and dumplings had tasted so good, better than anything Jinyoung had tried before, that it made up for the lack of space and the stifling temperature. Jinyoung had told Jackson such as they walked back to their class, and Jackson had admitted in a small voice that it was the restaurant he’d always gone to whenever he was homesick or sad since their food reminded him of home so much, and that he was glad Jinyoung had liked it. Jinyoung couldn’t stop grinning like a fool at the thought of Jackson sharing something so important to him with Jinyoung, and he’d slung an arm over Jackson’s shoulders their entire walk back to the university.

He’d then brought Jackson to his own safe space - the cafe several blocks away from the university. It was quite a walk, but it was worth it seeing Jackson’s soft eyes as Jinyoung had mentioned in passing how he often went there to clear his thoughts or have a good cry.

Jinyoung was amazed, really, at how quickly his friendship with Jackson developed. It wasn’t that he was an unfriendly person; Jinyoung just had this tendency to be closed off at first, and it often took a while for someone to get past that and become his friend, which explained his small circle of friends. Jackson, however, had quickly wormed his way into Jinyoung’s life and had gotten past those imaginary barriers. Jinyoung could even say that Jackson had become a sort of constant for him in the past few months.

This probably had to do with how Jackson genuinely seemed interested in Jinyoung and what he had to say. Seeing the sincerity in Jackson’s gaze and how he often remembered what Jinyoung said, even those that were just mentioned in passing. He’d once remarked to Jackson about how he hated doing additional readings because some titles were difficult to find online. And then, several days later, Jackson had sent him a copy of the book.

When Jackson had brought some candy during class, which he mentioned was his favorite since childhood and was particularly difficult to find in Korea, Jinyoung had casually remarked about his own favorite childhood candy. And in the week leading up to finals week, they’d both surprised each other with their favorite childhood snacks. They’d had a good laugh about it, and Jinyoung chose to pretend that the light sheen in Jackson’s eyes at the moment wasn’t there. He instead teased Jackson about how he’d probably need it, seeing how tired and listless he’d looked during the midterms season, which Jackson took mock offense at and joked that he would have looked so much better had someone not eaten half his protein bar that day.

And so the rest of the semester passed by like that - them teasing, them talking, them going out for a bite before heading to class, them talking about anything under the sun, such that by the time their exam, which also happened to be their last meeting for their class, rolled around, Jinyoung’s heart was heavier than it had ever been. Not because of the impending exam and his usual exam season jitters, but because it meant the end of the class and possibly, the end of what he and Jackson shared. All their hangouts so far had preceded their class, and they hadn’t spent time together outside of that. 

It was funny, really, to see how much had changed since the start of the semester. He’d initially felt a mix of annoyance and uneasiness at the thought of having to put up with Jackson’s endless stream of comments and being Jackson’s unofficial paper provider. Now, he didn’t just look forward to class and being on the receiving end of Jackson’s commentary; he also looked forward to their weekly friendly brunch dates before class started. His heart skipped a beat whenever Jackson would like or reply to a tweet of his, and despite Jinyoung not being one for social media, he sometimes found himself lurking on Jackson’s Instagram or Twitter, looking through his updates.

Despite them not talking a lot online, Jinyoung had even given Jackson his own ringtone, just so that he’d know if it was Jackson who was messaging or calling him. And admittedly, it was a bit embarrassing at how quickly Jinyoung dropped what he was doing whenever he heard the telltale sound of a message from Jackson. Jaebeom had almost spilled his coffee the first time he saw Jinyoung set aside the book he was reading when his phone went off. He’d teased Jinyoung about it until Jinyoung smacked the smug grin off his face with a well-aimed pillow.

But Jinyoung wasn’t sure what would happen now that the class was over, and he wasn’t sure how to broach that topic with Jackson. Jinyoung wanted to keep Jackson around, wanted to continue having those weekly dates with Jackson, and if he was being honest, wanted it to mean something more than just two friends grabbing a bite together, but he’d always preferred to err on the side of caution and let other people act first.

As Jinyoung ran through his exam answers once again, making sure he’d answered everything and had answered them correctly, movement from his peripheral vision caught his attention. He turned to see Jackson gathering his things, having already finished the exam. 

Jinyoung’s heart ached looking at him. He was dressed up nicely, reminiscent of the outfit he’d worn back when they first met. The first three buttons of his tan polo shirt were open, giving way to a tantalizing view of his chest which Jinyoung tried his best to ignore. He’d also worn slacks and dress shoes in an attempt to help him feel more confident for the exam, and on any other occasion, Jinyoung would’ve dedicated more time to appreciating Jackson in his current outfit.

But they were taking an exam, and at the back of Jinyoung’s mind, he was running through various scenarios of how to talk to Jackson. Jinyoung blinked, trying to get his bearings, and looked down once more at the paper in his hands. He just had two more pages to recheck, then he could deal with everything else in his mind. 

He’d just started reading the question when a tap on his shoulder interrupted him. Jinyoung looked up to see Jackson beaming at him with his hand in a thumbs-up gesture. “Good luck, Jinyoungie,” he’d mouthed. Jinyoung barely had time to smile back or to ask where Jackson was going before he walked towards the professor to hand over the papers and left.

And just like that, Jackson was gone.

Jinyoung felt the ache in his chest intensify at Jackson’s leaving. He hadn’t been able to talk to Jackson, and now he was gone and the semester was almost over and Jinyoung didn’t know how to proceed from there. And not only was Jackson gone, but he’d gone without much of a goodbye - the realization of which forced a lump in Jinyoung’s throat.

Jackson was a sentimental person, one who was always up front about how much he appreciated you, how grateful he was for you. He thanked waiters profusely, and had, on more than one occasion, explicitly told Jinyoung how glad he was that they were seatmates. It wasn’t that Jinyoung expected a long, parting speech about how glad Jackson was that he’d met Jinyoung, how the class was life-changing because it led to their paths crossing, but he definitely expected something more than just a mere smile and wave. And a silent “good luck”.

Unless, to Jackson, he and Jinyoung were mere friends, and just that.

That hurt more than Jinyoung cared to admit, and he could feel tears welling up in his eyes. He pressed the back of his hands to his eyes to stop them from falling. He could do that later, when he got back to the apartment. For now, he had to finish going through his answers before the allotted time ended, and he’d already spent - he looked at his watch - almost 20 minutes just thinking about Jackson.

Shaking his head, he forced himself to focus on the exam. Given his current state, however, it took longer than usual for him to go through the rest of his answers, so much that by the time he was done rechecking his answers, the class was almost over and the hallways were starting to fill with students celebrating their newfound freedom.

Jinyoung handed over his paper, politely bowing to the professor, and shuffled out of the room. He was greeted by the sight of Jackson with his arm around a dimpled man, laughing, and Jinyoung felt everything he’d been repressing earlier bubble up to the surface. He tore his gaze away from them, but not before Jackson had felt someone’s eyes on him.

He and Jinyoung made eye contact, and Jinyoung mustered all the strength he had to plaster a small smile on his face and wave to Jackson before making his way down the hall, trying to quell the bile rising in his throat.

He walked quickly, wanting to get back to the apartment as quickly as possible to fit in a crying session before working on his paper for his afternoon class that was due today. Thankfully, he’d gotten most of the work done the past weeks, and all he had to do was read through it once more before submitting it.

That gave him a bit more time to cry.

The hallways were buzzing with excitement, people talking and laughing and giggling, that Jinyoung could barely hear himself think. Despite the crowd’s noise, he was able to make out a faint “Jinyoung! Jinyoungie!” being called, and the sound of that nickname made him quicken his pace, head bowed, in an attempt to blend in with the sea of people.

A grip on his arm, however, told him that his efforts weren’t successful, and he turned back to see Jackson, in all his glory, smiling back at him. His hair, perfectly styled at the start of the exam, now had a windswept, mussed up quality to it, and the rise and fall of his chest was evident, thanks to the top buttons being undone. His sinful appearance belied the sweet smile on his face, and Jinyoung felt his chest constrict at how Jackson seemed so much like himself in that moment. 

“Why are you going so soon?” Jackson pouted, hand still on his arm, looking up at Jinyoung through his lashes. “We didn’t even get to say goodbye!”

Jinyoung can’t help the fondness in his voice at Jackson’s antics. “I’m sorry, I have a paper I need to work on.” Which wasn’t a lie. That, and because he needed some time alone, for him to cry over what the end of class meant for his friendship with Jackson. He patted Jackson’s cheek, enjoying how Jackson leaned into his touch. “Bye, Seun-ah,” he said, using the nickname he’d come up with for Jackson during one of their brunches together. He watched as Jackson’s smile spread across his entire face at the mention of his new nickname. “Thanks for the semester together.”

Jackson’s face fell immediately, returning to the sulky expression he had on earlier. “That’s it? No thank you for being the best seatmate ever or how glad you are that you met me?” He placed his free hand on his chest, pretending to be hurt. “And here I was about to ask you if you wanted to continue meeting up even though class is over.”

Jinyoung’s heart skipped a beat at that. Feelings of both relief and disbelief, combined with Jackson’s adorable expression, stripped Jinyoung of any words about to make its way out. Instead, an eloquent “huh?” escaped Jinyoung’s mouth.

Jackson repeated himself, tugging on Jinyoung’s arm more insistently. “I was hoping we could go get some coffee or hang out together even if class is over. You know, watch a movie, go to the park, stuff like that.” 

Stuff like that. Jinyoung opened his mouth to agree, to say that he’d love to continue meeting up. But someone must have done something to his filter, and combined with Jinyoung’s teasing, sarcastic nature, was a combination that spelled trouble. “Watch a movie, go to the park, like a date?”

He clamped his mouth shut immediately, cursing himself inwardly and praying that the ground would swallow him whole right now. Jinyoung readied himself, an apology at the tip of his tongue, when Jackson spoke, looking uncharacteristically shy. “It is if you want it to be.”

Jinyoung felt everything come to a standstill. His gaze was locked on his attractive seatmate, who was looking everywhere except at him.  _ It is if you want it to be.  _ Jinyoung repeated to himself, over and over, convincing himself that he’d heard Jackson right. Jinyoung couldn’t believe it - just a few minutes earlier, he’d been planning to head home and have a good cry about how what they had would end along with the semester, and how it seemed as if they were nothing more than friends to Jackson. Now, Jackson wanted to continue hanging out  _ and  _ wasn’t opposed to dating him.

He must’ve been thinking too long, however, seeing the slump of Jackson’s shoulders and the bittersweet smile he now wore. Jackson had opened his mouth - whether to take back what he said or to apologize, Jinyoung would never know - when he beat him to it. “Okay,” Jinyoung simply said, unable to stop the grin that spread across his face.

“Okay?” Jackson asked tentatively, as if he were unsure what Jinyoung meant.

“Okay. Let’s make it a date,” Jinyoung answered. He expected a smile from Jackson at his response, a sigh of relief, or maybe even a fist pump. He wasn’t prepared for the way Jackson threw himself at him, engulfing him in a hug. Jinyoung had barely wrapped his arms around Jackson before he pulled away and lightly punched Jinyoung in the arm. “I was so worried you were gonna say no. You were silent for so long.”

A wry grin appeared on Jinyoung’s face. “Say no to the date or hanging out?” He asked, tugging at Jackson’s arm so they could start walking.

“Both.” Jackson answered. They walked in comfortable silence until Jinyoung saw from the corner of his eye a confused expression flit across Jackson’s face. “Where are we going? I thought you had a paper to finish?”

“I lied,” Jinyoung smiled sheepishly, hand rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m pretty much done with it already. And it’s due later tonight, anyways.”

Jackson stopped in his tracks, hands on his hips in mock outrage. “You lied to me?”

Jinyoung walked back to where Jackson stood, unmoving, and sighed dramatically. “Are we really going to fight on our first date?”

Jackson’s smile was so wide that Jinyoung wouldn’t be surprised if his cheeks burst any time soon. Seeing Jackson so happy filled Jinyoung with so much affection for him and, for what seemed like the hundredth time in that semester, Jinyoung silently thanked the universe and all the deities for allowing their paths to cross. And for making sure he woke up late that day.

“Come on, Seunnie,” Jinyoung all but cooed, slinging an arm over Jackson. “I’m starving.” 

As they walked, Jinyoung felt an arm wrap around his waist and a face bury itself in his neck. “Okay. You’re paying though.” Jinyoung, without missing a step, lightly pinched Jackson’s shoulder, causing the latter to yelp.

“I didn’t even know this was a date,” Jackson whined.

Jinyoung rolled his eyes, but the fondness in his voice gave him away. “Fine, but you’re paying next time.”

_ It didn’t really matter who paid or who would pay next time _ , Jinyoung thought. He was just thankful that Jackson would continue to be by his side, even if they didn’t share the same class anymore.

There was a slight buzz in the air as university students milled out and about, all looking to celebrate the end of the semester and a studies-free break. The hum of excitement in the air was akin to that of the first day of the semester, with people excited to see each other after so long. This time, however, Jinyoung was one in celebrating with them, looking forward not just to a month free of schoolwork, but more days with Jackson by his side.

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve always loved college/university AU fics. And I’ve always loved the dynamics of,,, very friendly talkative person meets reserved, waaay less talkative person and “takes them under their wing” and is very persistent with their friendship and…. Yay friends!
> 
> And I also love those friendly classmates who… you aren’t even super close with but check up on you when you aren’t around and help you catch up with what you’ve missed. And I think it’s a lot harder to find people like this in university, where classes are huge and you aren’t under any pressure to be friends with your classmates. Haha, and I think this fic is the culmination of that. Tbh the fic blossomed from that idea (someone sharing their notes for someone who missed lass) and yea :D also I think I kinda projected a bit onto Jackson because . I talk a lot/make a lot of side comments during class haha oops and I’m a talkative person, if that isn’t evident already haha.
> 
> Also, I have a [Twitter account](https://twitter.com/___heynineteen) where I talk a lot about Jinson & writing ideas (and my other favorite ships/dynamics as well) and I have a [Curiouscat account](https://curiouscat.me/heynineteen) as well. I'd love to talk to you all more hehe
> 
> Kudos would be appreciated if you enjoyed the story, and comments even more since I really do enjoy reading people’s reactions to my work, and it’s something that keeps me going :D


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